Year: 2015

Locals claim to grow tea in south Kashmir; officials unaware

Editor

Residents of some areas in south Kashmir have claimed to have been producing tea for the past couple of years, while the concerned department remains unaware about it. As per the locals, Kashmiri tea is being cultivated in many places, particularly in Liver village of Anantnag district, and Kuchmullah and Nahir areas of district Pulwama. “I have been cultivating Kashmiri tea in my farm since 2013. Our family is consuming this tea for past two years, even though its colour is not pink like that of Nun Chai (salty tea),”…

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Temple land encroached upon with help of PDP MLC, claims Pandit body

Editor

A Kashmir Pandit activist has written to Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, claiming that the land belonging to a temple in Srinagar has been encroached upon by goons and alleged that they were being supported by a councillor of the ruling party and a police officer. Sanjay Tickoo, president of the Kashmiri Pandit Sangarash Samiti, has written an open letter to the Chief Minister, in which he has claimed that a “commercially high valued” piece of land belonging to a temple in the Bonamsar area of Sonwar locality in the…

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Kashmir floods listed as world’s worst economical disaster in 2014

Editor

Last year’s devastating flood in Kashmir valley has been listed as world’s worst economical disaster in 2014. According to a report prepared by Annual Disaster Statistical Review, Kashmir incurred losses of $16 billion (104000 crore INR) followed by Cyclone Hudhud in south India with a total estimation of losses to $7 billion (45,500 crore INR). Kashmir floods have also been the 8th worst disaster in terms of number of people affected. As per the report, 3.60 million people were affected due to the floods. The Kashmir floods have also been…

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Tourist arrivals in Kashmir this year below expectations : CM

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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said tourist arrivals to the state this year have been below expectations and called upon the national media to change the negative perception which has plagued the state. “Tourist arrivals this year have been below expectations. Tourism has to brace up for bigger challenges ahead. I seek cooperation from the national media in changing the negative perception which has plagued Kashmir for quite some time,” Sayeed said after the stone-laying ceremony to launch Hotel Nedou’s in a new avatar of ITC…

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Bajrang Dal seeks complete beef ban, death penalty for defying

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Bajrang Dal activist today held a protest demanding a complete ban on the sale of beef and slaughter of bovine animals in Jammu and Kashmir, besides urging the government to impose death penalty for those who defy the ban. Addressing the workers of the organisation, religious Guru Dinesh Bharti demanded a prohibition on cow slaughter in the entire state and slammed those who have been justifying beef consumption on various grounds.” The cow slaughter should be banned in the state in letter and spirit,” he said. Asking that a large…

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Between the two Burhans lies the sad tale of Kashmir

Editor

Rajni Shaleen Chopra One Burhan took to the gun to protest what he calls the forced subjugation of Kashmir. The same gun, through its torturous twists and turns, was used by three teenaged boys to kill the other Burhan and his father, a former militant. Burhan Wani, 21, is the new face of Kashmiri militancy, a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander whose ultimate goal is to “unfurl the flag of Islam on Delhi’s Red Fort”. In a recent audio widely circulated on the social media, he spoke to his followers in…

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Liberal Jammu can’t co-exist with radicalised Kashmir: Hari Om

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Describing the developing situation in Kashmir as deplorable, horrible and dangerous for the country, former political advisor to J&K BJP president Prof Hari Om Monday said that the liberal, all-accommodating and nationalist of people of Jammu province can’t have any kind of truck with radicalised Kashmiri leadership and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh to reorganise forthwith J&K State on regional basis. Jammu province is a shining example of communal amity and social harmony, where more than 1-5 million 1.5 million refugees from Pakistan, PoJK and…

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Markets abuzz with shoppers ahead of Eid-ul-Adha

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Shoppers thronged city markets ahead of the Eid-ul-Adha festival, which will be celebrated later this week. Sale of sacrificial animals and merchandise has gone up as the festival is coming closer. The city’s markets are witnessing an increased rush as shoppers are flocking to buy merchandise ahead of the Eid-ul-Adha. Sheep and goat sale points, which have sprouted across the city, are also attracting huge crowds. A major market for the sale of sacrificial animals has come up at Eid Gah in the old city where hundreds of sheep and…

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Inclusion of Jammu in smart city project sought

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The Jammu West Assembly Movement (JWAM) today demanded inclusion of Jammu city in the list of smart cities announced by the Central Government recently. The movement has alleged that the present PDP-BJP government is following discriminatory policies towards the region like previous governments, who denied Jammu its share. Activists, led by JWAM president Sunil Dimple, today held a protest against the BJP-PDP coalition government in J&K and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for following anti-people policies and alleged that most of the promises remained unfulfilled. “Where is the notification for AIIMS.…

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Urs of Shah-e-Hamadan observed

Editor

The annual Urs of Mir Syed Ali Hamadani, who is known as Shah-e-Hamadan by devotees, was observed with religious fervour today. After night-long prayers and supplications, devotees from all over the Valley thronged ‘Khanqah-e-Moala’ – the shrine of the Sufi saint, which is located in the old city on the banks of the Jhelum, throughout the course of the day. The area outside the shrine wore a festive look with roadside vendors selling a whole lot of eatables and other items. Devotees were seen feeding pigeons that are usually present…

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